Palo Alto, Calif. – Facebook has been awarded a patent on
technology that covers many facets of location-based social networking. The
"Systems and methods for automatically locating web-based social network
members" covers the concept of "check-ins" and related features.
TechCrunch notes that Facebook submitted its application in 2007, but does not mention
as "prior art" the "Dodgeball patent," an earlier patent
from the creators of location-based service Dodgeball — who later went on to
create Foursquare.
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Oops! That Facebook Location Patent Forgot To Mention Crowley's Earlier Dodgeball Patent
